Adjustable grade-leveler



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 VW. QP. STUART. Adjustable Grade Leveler. .'No. 240,784, Patented Apr-i126, 1881;

|| "l" ig ir 3 Sheets-Sheet 42.

Paten'ted April 26,1881.,

I111?e11`l',0r

Attorney.

1W. P. STUART. Adjustable Grade Leveler. N0. 240,784.

(No Model.) l. :asueeuw-Smm;a.A I W. P. STUART.

Adjustable` Grade 'Levelerf Nu. 24o,7c4. w Patn'teq April 26', 188|.

U u 6 'Y To lo IILPETERS, PHOT0-L|THOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C. v

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WILLIAM r. STUART, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs.

ADJUSTABLE GRADE-LEVELER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,784, dated April 26, 1881. Application filed January 20, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM l?. STUART, a citizen ofthe UnitedStates, residing atChicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Adjustable Grade-Leveler for Leveling and Grading Railroads and for other Purposes, oi' which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to grade-levelers for grading and leveling grades for double tracks, sidings, and other grading on railroads. t

The objects of my invention are, rst, to pro-l vide an adjustable removable grade-leveler for railroads, to be used in leveling grades for double tracks or sidin gs and all other grading necessary in building double tracks, sidings, or other roadbeds of railroads; second, to furnish a device to keep a railroad-track clear and clean from weeds, grass, and other vegetation usually on the sides ofthe track; third, to`

provide an adjustable removable roller for rolling and pressing the grade and marking the line for lining the ties in the construction of railroad-tracks; and, fourth7 to furnish a'center-marker to mark the center of the railroad` track to be laid. I attain these objects by the construction, and combination of the several parts, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, Sheet No. 1, is a plan view of my invention. Figs. 2 and 3, Sheet No. l, are cross and side views of the adjustable attachments of the roller. Fig.4, Sheet No. 2, is a side view of myinvention. Fig.5,fSheet.No. 2, is a view showing the shape of theforward yend of the blade G. Fig. 6, Sheet No. 3, is an end view ofimyinvention. Fig.,7, Sheet No; 3, is a sectional view of the construction and arrangement of the adjustable attachments of the leveler B to the car A. Fig. 8, Sheet 3, is

Fig. 9 is La crosssection of the same.

Similar letters refer to similar parts through the several views Aand drawings.

A represents a railroad-car provided with the usual running-gear, which is an ordinary ilat'or gravel car, or otherwise, and isconv structed sufficiently strong to sustain the several attachments. I

B is the adj ustable removableleveler attachment, and is composed of a blade, braces, and connections.

C is the blade of the leveler attachment, and is made of boiler or tank iron or steel, having a sharp lower edge, turned in the manner of a shears, and is beveled or cut off at its forward end, as shown in Fig. 5, Sheet 2, to escape the ties of the ,main track or other obstructions.

j D D are braces or stiffeners, made of iron or any suitable material, and are rigidly attached at their outer ends to the blade C, and at their inner are adj ustably and removably connected by guide-hinges and screw-connections to the sides ofthe car A. These braces may be of any number, and they differ in length, the shortest being at the forward end of the car and increasin to the rear. The sides of the car A and the rear brace, D, form the sides of a right-angle triangle, the blade C being the hypotenuse. The braces may be of any length desired. The blade C is connected at its forward end tothe side of the car A by the same adjustable removable connections as the braces D D. If desired,l a very short brace may `be used with similar connections.

rlhe leveler B, by reason of its adjustments Aand connections to the sides of the car A,

swings up and down on its hinges to any angle, beingguided by the wire rope R, and whenever desired it can be raised or lowered on ya level to accommodate itself to any grade, or theV same may be entirely removed or detached from the car.

E is a rod running from the forward end of the car A tov any part of the blade G, and loosely attached at its ends. AIt is provided `with a reversible screw-nut, F, which allows it to accommodate itself to the height of the leveler B. This rod is for the purpose of holding B in alevel position. Any number of these rods may be used. j

G is an adjustable removable iron roller attached to the rear brace, D, and so connected therewith that it is adjustable to any distance required below the line on a level with the lower edge of the blade C, and also can be moved to the right or left, asmayfbc desired.

The `edge of said roller makes a mark for the A j lining of the ties. The roller is provided with a projection, H, encircling its center, which projection is called a center-marker, and is for the purpose of marking the center of the grade at any distance from the center of the main track, as may be desired. I-I is cast with the roller Gr, or maybe soldered thereto or attached in any appropriate manner. Vhen not needed the roller can be readily removed, and it may be of any desired length.

K is a removable frame-work on the rear end of the ca-r A, constructed of two uprights, O O, and cross-arms p p, which are properly braced and suiiiciently apart to admit the rear brace, D, between them when the leveler B is folded up. The uprights O O rest in sockets I I on each side of the car, so as to be firm and yet allow the frame-work to be removed. Sockets I are also placed at the other end of the car, so that the frame-work K can be placed at either end or removed from one to the other at will and without delay. The frame-work K supports and contains the necessary gearing, pulleys, and attachments to elevate and lower or swing the leveler B, as shown. This frame-V work may be of any other suitable construction for the purpose.

L L are pulleys at the top ot' the framework K, and so placed as not to interfere with the folding up of B, and at a proper distance from each other to do the work.

' M is a crank attached to the frame-work K,

and is provided with a cog-wheel, a.

l? is adrum, around which the rope R works or winds, and has attached to its side a cogwheel, k, which works in connection with a. They both revolve on shaft or pinion g.

It is a wire rope attached at or near the outer end of the rear brace, D, running thence over the pulleys L L to the drum P, around which it is wound, or to the sheaveblock S,

` and thence to the locomotive.

S is a sheave-block, through which the rope It runs to the locomotive, whereby the locomotive can be used as power in lieu of the windlass.

T T are guidehinges fastened to the side of the car A, one for each brace and one for the forward end of the blade C. In these hinges the ends of the braces D and blade C swing and are adj usted. The hinges T are provided with screws d, having heads f, whereby the braces and blade are held in any position necessary to raise or lower the leveling of the grade, and whereby the leveler B may be removed or adjusted without delay whenever desired. Both sides of the car A can be provided with the hinges T, and with the .same so arranged that the leveler B can be attached to either side, and the point of the blade C be in either direction on either side, as the occasion requires, the leveler B being removed from one side to the other and from end to end, as desired, thereby avoiding the necessity of carryinjg the car to a switch or turn-table to reverse the same, the frame-work K being moved from one end of the car to the other and reversed to accommodate itself to the changing of leveler B.

V is a pin or catch to prevent the leveler B from falling when folded up and not in use.

X is a locomotive. The locomotive, which conveys the car, with attachments, to the point to be used,vfurnishes the power to operate the same.

My attachments to the car A are so arranged that they will not interfere with the car being used to carry gravel and other material.

The operationof this device is as follows: After the gravel and other grading material is dumped along the side of the main track for the road-bed of the double track or sidin gs, the

car A, with my attachments, is hauled to any point to be leveled and graded, the pin V is moved so as to allow the leveler B to swing, the crank M is turned, and the leveler B lowered to any angle desired. The locomotive connected to the car A is started,'when the blade C will level the grade and the roller Gr will roll and press the same, and at the same time the roller will mark the line for lining of the ties, and also, by means ot' H, will mark the center of the road-bed. If the resistance is too great, by turning the crank M the wire ropel lt will immediately elevate the leveler B to any inclination, and it may be thus raised and lowered as desired. To raise and lower B on a level to accommodate it to any grade, or to remove the same to attach it to the other side ofthe car, or for any purpose, the head f of the screw d is turned sufficiently to make the adjustment or removal, F being turned to allow E to accommodate itself. To keep the sides of the track clear of weeds, grass, and other vegetation, the same operation is pursued as before. When the work is finished the leveler B is folded up by turning the crank M, its rear brace, D, will rest between the uprights of the frame K, and B is held secure by the pin V, and the car is carried to the shop or to any other point desired.

My invention can be operated by a small number of men, and is a great saving in time and labor.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The adjustable removable leveler B, provided with blade C, braces D D, and connecting-hinges T, in combination with car A and hoisting-rope B, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The adjustable removable roller G, provided with centermarker H, in combination with leveler B, substantially as described and shown, and for the purpose set forth.

3. A removable framework, K, provided with a hoisting-rope, B, and hoisting-gearing,

as constructed and arranged in combination with a grade-leveler and car, whereby the leveler is raised or lowered, substantially as shown and described.

4. The pin V, in combination with levelerB and frame-work K, whereby the leveler B is IOS IIO

IIS

held secure when folded up, substantially as as shown and described, and for the'purposes described and shown.

5. The combination, in a grade-leveling device, of the leveler B, provided with blade C,

5 braces D D, hinges T, with screws d and heads f, rod E, with nut F, roller G, with centermarker H, hoisting-rope R, frame-Work K, with uprights OO, arms p p, pulleys L L, crank M, with Wheel u, drum P, with Wheel lc, pinion ro g, sockets I, pin V, and car A, all substantially set forth.

6. The-guide-hinges T, provided with screws d and heads j', in combination with the car A, leveler B, and braces D, substantially as shown 15 and described.

WILLIAM P. STUART. 

